Awareness
Since LCTF was founded, we’ve been working to raise awareness of vasculitis. Had there been more awareness of the condition at the time, Lauren could still be here with us and there wouldn’t be a LCTF. There wouldn’t need to be. Vasculitis diagnosed and treated early offers a good prognosis.
Awareness can, very literally, be the difference between life or death.
We’re working to raise awareness amongst the general public, and to provide information to improve knowledge and understanding for patients and health professionals. Our activities include educational initiatives, fundraising, events, campaigns and information and awareness materials.
Research
We’ve donated over £100,000 to vasculitis research to date. Research is vital for better patient outcomes. The more information we have about vasculitis, the better we’ll be able to treat it – and hopefully, one day, cure it. But vasculitis is relatively rare and little known, so it tends not to attract the same level of funding as other areas. As a charity, all of our income comes from donations and fundraising. Resources are limited, and we prioritise support services – to help people who are living with vasculitis here and now – but we support research as much as we can.
Education
The work we do in education often overlaps with our research and awareness work – like our funded PhD placements, information materials and residential courses. But we also fund a series of educational webinars by the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) focusing on vasculitis guidance and education for healthcare professionals responsible for the assessment and management of patients with vasculitis.
Support
Our main focus is on providing support for people who have vasculitis – whether they are newly diagnosed, or living with the condition. Numerous research studies show the benefit of long-term support for those living with a chronic condition. We offer a range of practical and emotional support, including information and reference materials, support groups and support mechanisms, counselling, advice on helping to control symptoms, residential courses and respite accommodation.
Illness can impact on other areas of life too, so we also offer a wellbeing service. This provides information on employment and work issues, money and debt, relationships, legal matters, and more.
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